392. Light and Righteousness
Micah 7:9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
God fulfills this promise in Jesus Christ, who has brought me forth to the light, and in the light I can see the righteousness of God. We have come out of darkness into His marvelous light. He has turned us from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. This light is the light of Glory, the light of God Himself in all His glory, the beatific vision of the Lord God Almighty. When we get to heaven and dwell in God’s eternal presence we will forever, day and night, walk in the light of God, and there we will see what righteousness is really like. It will be awesome, mind-blowing.
This wonderful future life is also present in the heart of faith even now, today, while we are living on earth. Heaven is in the heart since the Holy Spirit lives there. He has brought light to us, or us to the light, and the light is inside every believer. “You are the light of the world…Let it shine.” We should understand that Jesus does not tell us to shine the light, but that He will shine it and let it out into a dark world if we don’t hide it or cover it up. He does the shining;; we do the hiding. When people see your light and good works they will give glory to the heavenly Father. Jesus brings us to the light and He shines it. Jesus makes it happen. We don’t. We can’t go to the light; He must bring it to us. The Lord gets credit for all our good works and light-shining. We enjoy living in the light and walking on the path.
By faith we have received the righteousness of God. We are declared righteous for Christ’s sake as that righteousness is in us. Faith sees it, gives thanks, rejoices in the Lord, and goes about life serving God by serving others. Without realizing it we actually “see” His righteousness on earth during this life. Believing is seeing. We believe that we are declared righteous because of Christ by faith. Faith sees. Faith knows. We know that we are righteous and will live in the light of righteousness forever. Jesus bore the indignation of God for my sin, pleaded my case before God, that is, pled His own blood shed for me, and executed judgment upon my sin, over death, and on the power of the devil. The promise is fulfilled in Christ for me.